Planoorapm co



APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. l9l8.

Patentd Sept. 2, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'II B. WEXLER.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 19H]. v 1,314,552. PatentedSept. 2,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig. 7

avwenroz 6 m I a fl x WW break mechanism.

TE STATES PAEENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN WEXLER, or BROOKLYN, NEW Sloan, assrenoa 'ro THE PEELLECOMPANY,

OF BROOKLYN, NEW ong, A oonroaerioiv'or New oRK.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

7 *atented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application filed May 24, v1918. ,Serial No. 236,288.

To all calm m it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN dVEXLER, a citizen of the United $tates,residing at the borough of Brooklyn, in the city of New York, county ofKings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Controlling Mechanisms for Elevator-Cars, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being bad therein to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to controlling mechanisms for elevator cars, andmore particularly to a mechanism actuated by the opening and closing ofthe doors of the elevator shaft, in a manner to permit power to beapplied to the car only when all of the doors of the shaft are closed.

There has heretofore been used, a controlling mechanism of the type towhich my invention relates, wherein the circuit applying power to theelevator car includes therein a make and break mechanism actuated bymeans common to all of the doors in a shaft. It has been found inpractice that under some conditions of installation, the means foractuating the make and break mechanism can not be set with suflicientaccuracy in relation to the several doors of a shaft, to insure thedesired accuracy in the timing of the opening 61' closing of a door, andofthe actuation of the make and break mechanism controlling the circuitto the car. Furthermore the connection between the actuating member forthe make and break mechanism for the several doors is subject to slightstretch under elongation stresses, which also tends toward a loss ofsynchronism in the operation of the doors and of the make and initialmovement of a door will so actuate iVhen the operation of.

the make and break mechanism in controlling the circuit through whichpower to actuate the car is derived, as to prevent the application ofpower to the car, and avoid possibility of a premature actuation of saidmake and break mechanism when closing the door and thus permitapplication of power to the car before the door is completely closed.

A controlling mechanism of the type to which my invention relates,utilizes a sliding weight acting upon the make and break mechanism, myinvention contemplating the association with this weight of means where-,by the make and break mechanism will. be actuated to prevent theapplication of power vto. the car before the load of the weight istransferred to the connecting strip or cable acted upon by the severaldoors, and said strip or cable .will be relieved from said load beforeconditions are such as to permit power ,towbc appli d .to the car. Thisconstruction relieves the door from the additional load of this weightwhen vthe operator starts to open it, and avoids the necessity forproviding an excess movement of the weight with relation to the make andbreak mechanism, necessary to compensate for structural irregularitiesin the make .and break mechanism and in vthevarious doors, and theresultant slight dwell between the initial movement of the door and theactuation of the make and break mechanism, when opening the door.

The member for actuating the make and break mechanism, is so constructedandarranged, that it positively locks the weight in the position itassumes when the door is closed, and also serves as a lock to preventthe opening of a door until afterthe make and break mechanism has beenso actuated as ,to prevent application of power to the car.

The invention consists primarily in a controlling mechanism for elevatorcars embodyingtherein a controller operative from within a car, aplurality of elevator doors in an elevator shaft, and means to preventsaid controller being made operative to apply power to the car,comprising an electric circuit, including therein a single make andbreak mechanism, a member movably mounted adjacent thereto, a thrustmember carried by said movable member and adapted to operatively engagesaid make and break .mechanism whenall of said elevator doors in theclaims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary portion of anelevator shaft showing two doors of the truckable type, and having acontrolling mechanism made in accordance with my invention, appliedthereto;

. Fig. 2 is a detailed view upon a larger scale of the make and breakmechanism and the movable member actuating same;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of said mechanism'modified to adapt it to acontrolling system for elevators employing a solenoid;

Fig. 4 is a view of a portion of an elevator shaft having therein doorsof the telescoping type with my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing -the invention' applied to laterallysliding doors; and Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a view of a portion ofan elevator shaft employing double swinging doors and a cross-sectionalview thereof upon a larger scale, a controllinginechanism made inaccordance with my invention being shown in connection therewith.

Like letters refer tolike parts throughout the several views.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have shown an embodiment of the inventionas applied to a type of door known as a truckable door, consisting oftwo door sections, a and Z), ar ranged at each door opening in theelevator shaft, said sections moving vertically in the sameplane, but inthe opposite direction, when opening and closing the door. The saidsections are provided with a suitable lock 0, operative when the doorsare in the closed position.

that the various hanger bars 6 are all inthe same vertical plane andextend parallel with each other. This general construction is old andwell known in this art, and merely exemplifies one type of door in con-The two sections are con nected by means of suitably mounted cables.

- cable i and the other arm of the bell nection with which my inventionmay be employed.

To place the power for the elevator car under the control of theelevator doors, I include in the circuit to the controller E, upon thecar, a make and break mechanism, including a plurality of cooperatingelectric contacts, one of which is adapted to have movement in relationto the other, and associate therewith, a movable member carrying athrust member adapted to operatively engage said movable contact memberwhen said movable member is in a definite relation to said switchmechanism, this thrust member being so controlled and connected witheach of the doors in a shaft that when all of the doors are closed, thecircuit a V door is again OlOSBdL This mechanism in the form of theinvention shown 1n Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a bridge switch consistingof fixed contacts e and e mounted in a box 9 having abolt opening g inone wall thereof, and a contact f mounted upon a movable member fpositioned between said fixed contacts and said bolt opening. Thepivotal supporting member 7 is so mounted as to have a normal tendencyto separate the contact f from the contacts 6 and e, the contact f beingacted upon by the spring f to compensate for structural variations inthe actuating mechanism for said switch and at the same time impart thedesired rapid initial impulse to the movable arm f when the actuatingmechanism becomes inoperative as to the switch.

Mounted in suitable guides adjacent the switch box 9 and at that sidethereof, having the bolt opening 9 therein, is a weight it carrying aspring actuated, slidable thrust member h adapted to pass through thebolt opening g and engage the arm 7". The said thrust member is actedupon by a spring 71, and is provided with an extension 71, adapted to beengaged by one arm of the bell crank lever k pivoted at 72, to saidsliding weight. The said weight h is connected by means of the flexiblestrip or crank lever 75-, with the several hanger bars I the said hangerbars ordinarily being made of angle iron, having an opening in oneflange thereof through which the strip or cable i passes, and has a freesliding fit. The said strip or cable 2' carries a plurality of impactblocks 2" adapted to engage the under side of said hanger barsrespectively, so that as the opening of one door imparts movement to theweight it through said strip or cable 11, and the lever k, the blocks iassociated with the hanger bars of other doors, merely move from theoperative relation thereto, so that the actuation of any door does notinterfere with the other doors in a shaft.

To insure the desired movement of the strip or cable 1', I provide thelower end thereof with a weight which will always hold said strip orcable taut, while being of insufficient weight to overcome the tensionof the spring 71*, the tension of which spring is insuflicient tosustain the load of said weight it.

Adjacent the switch box 9, I provide a stop it adapted to engage thesaid weight la in a position where the thrust member 71. will beaccurately positioned in relation to the bolt socket g. The contacts 6-6and the controller E, are included in the circuit supplying power to thecar, by means of the conductor wires 7c-lc.

In Fig. 3 of the'drawings, I have illustrated the invention as appliedto a type of elevator employing a shipper cable, the sole difference instructure between this form of the invention and that shown in Figs. 1and 2 being a reversal of the relation of the contacts 6, e and f sothat the circuit instead of being normally closed, will be normallyopen. In this form of the invention, the terminal wires lc-Jc instead ofleading to the controller in the elevator car, lead to the terminals ofthe solenoid m, which solenoid controls a clutch member 472/ forcontrolling the shipper cable a by which the switch mechanism 0 isactuated from the car.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, I have illustrated theinvention as applied to a door structure of the telescoping,counterweighted type, in which the two door sections, a and b havemovement in parallel vertical planes and in the same direction, theopening and closing of the doors being facilitated by the counterweight19. In this form of the invention, the blocks 2" upon the strip 2'instead of operatively engaging a hanger bar upon the doors, engage anextension 2 upon the counterweight p. In other respects the constructionof the controlling mechanism is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2,it being understood, however, that the same manner of connecting theweight it with the door structure, might be employed in connection withan elevator, using a shipper cable, by the modification of the make andbreak mechanism as shown in Fig. 3 and heretofore described.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig, 5, I have illustrated theapplication of the invention to an elevator door of the laterallysliding type, this requiring merely the modification of the details inconnecting the weight it with the door. The make and break mechanism isnot illustrated in connection with this View, since a normally .closedcircuit, such as that shown in Figs.

1 and 2, or a normally open circuit, such as that shown in Fig. 3, maybe used according to the .type of elevator control employed.

In this form of the invention, I connect the strip or cable 2' with anendless strip 9 passing around suitable rollers r, r, r and r arrangedin pairs at the top and at the bottom of the elevator shaft. Extendingfrom, and secured to, the reach 9 of said enlcss strip 9, are branchstrips 9 extending about rollers s and s at opposite sides of each dooropening, to the reach 9 upon the other side of the door openings, towhich they are secured. Said branch strip or cable passes through anopening in a bracket tcarried by the door proper to, having a freesliding fit in said bracket, and is provided with a block 1; adaptedtoengage said bracket.

Referring now to the 'form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, Ihave shown the invention as applied to double swinging elevator doors,this form of the invention like that shown in Fig. ,5, requiring merelythe modification of the connection between the weight k and the severaldoors in the shaft.

In this form of the invention, I employ a strip 9 having the samegeneral arrangement as illustrated in connection with Fig. 5,this stripbeing endless and passing about rollers 7', r, r and r. The reach 9 isprovided with blocks 10 adapted to be engaged by rings 10 carried byextension strips or cables 11) passing over the roller to, adjacent thedoor opening, and the roller 10 carried by one of the swinging doors a,and being connected with the other swinging door w of the pair. By thisconstruction it is impossible to open either swinging door section atany door opening without interrupting the circuit to the controller, orclosing the circuit to the solenoid, according to the type of controlwhich may be employed.

The operation of the herein described device is substantially as followsReferring more particularly to the form of the invention shown in Figs,1 and 2 of the drawings, when all of the doors are closed, the weight itwill rest upon the stop it and the spring 72, will project the bolt itthrough the bolt opening g, and against the movable arm 7" in a mannerto force the contact f into engagement with the contacts e e, and thusclose the circuit through which power to actuate the elevator isderived. Said spring will also exert a pull upon the connection strip orcable 2' which will bring each of the blocks a" thereon into closejuxtaposition with its associated hanger bar I) It will. be observedthat when the parts are in this position, as shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings, the make and break mechashaft, however, and the operator opensthe door, as the section a moves upwardly, and

the section 6 moves downwardly, the engagement of the hanger bar I)thereon with its associated block 2" exerts a pull upon the strip orcable 71 with the result that the bell crank lever or trigger it isactuated substantially instantaneously with the initial movement of thedoor to withdraw the bolt h from its operative relation to the arm f.

After the bolt has been so withdrawn, the weight his lifted, thismovement resultlng in a positioning of the bolt which will prevent itsreiingagement with said arm f.

Since the bolt it must be withdrawn to the full extent before liftingpower can be applied to the weight h, it is apparent that since amaterial opening of the doors is de pendent upon the lifting of thisweight, all of the doors in a shaft will be locked by said bolt untilthe make and break mechanism has been so actuated as to prevent theapplication of power to the car.

Since the tension of the spring k is insufficient to sustain the load ofthe weight it, but greater than that of the weight 7', there will besubstantially no additional load placed upon the doors during theinitial opening movement.

When any door is in the open position, the relation of parts of thecontrolling mechanism as to the make and break mechanism, and the partsappurtenant thereto, will be as shown in Fig. 2.

WVhen the parts are in this Position, power cannot be applied to the caruntil the opened door is closed, and the construction of the controllingmechanism made in accordance with my invention is suchas to make itimpossible to apply power to the car until the door has been closed.

The closing movement of the door permits the weight it to descend andcauses the block 2" associated with the hanger bar of the door, toclosely follow said hanger bar until said weight h engages the stop ifwhen the bolt it will be alined' with the bolt opening 9. The strip orcable 2', as the Weight comes to rest, is relieved from the load of saidweight before the make and break mechanism can be actuated to permit theapplication of power to the car, the actuation of this mechanism beingdependent upon the final closing movement of the door under the controlof the spring k quantity of movement required to cause the actuation ofthe bolt 71,, is determined by the relative leverage of the two arms ofThe the bell crank lever h It is therefore possible to reduce thequantity of movement which a door may have, before preventingapplication of power to the car, toa mini mum.

In closing the doors, the moving inertia thereof is ordinarily such asto insure the 7 doors coming together in the completely closed position,and the parts are so proportioned as to insure the projection of thebolt it through the opening 9, and against the arm 7, in a manner toclose the circuit substantially instantaneously with thisimpact of thetwo doors, and so as to cause the interruption of the circuit if thedoors rebound after this impact, without the lock 0 becoming operativeto hold them closed. The bolt h will tend to prevent such a rebound,however.

The striker member 9 carried by the switch box 9, is provided to insurethe retraction of the bolt h in the event of retardation of the weightit sufficiently to permit this bolt to be projected before the weightcomes to rest.

The form of invention shown in Fig. 2, operates, as to the elevatordoors, identically as heretofore described, the sole difference betweenthe operation of this form of invention and that shown in Figs. 1 and 2,being that with the withdrawal of the bolt 7;, upon the opening of thedoor, the circuit is made instead of being broken, and with the closingof the door the circuit is broken instead of being made. When thecircuit is closed the solenoid m is actuated to cause the clutch m togrip the shipper cable at in a manner to prevent its actuation, and whenthe circuit is open, the solenoid m will be de'e'nergized, thuspermitting the'l05 actuation of the clutch member m in a manner topermit the cable'n to be actuated to apply power to a car.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, theoperation is identi 110 cal with that heretofore described in connectionwith Figs. 1 and 2, the sole difierence being that the bolt h isactuated through the strip or cable 71 by the descent of thecounterweight p instead of by the 115 descent of the door itself;

The actuation of the make and breakmechanism, in the form of theinvention shown in Fig. 5, is identical with that hereupon the block 1;,which, through the branch strip or cable g will move the endless stripor cable {I about the various pulleys 9", 1", 1' and r This movement ofthe strip or cable 9 will, through the strip or cable 2', actuate- 130the bolt h. The movement of the endless strip or cable 9 will resultfrom the pull thereon fronr the branch strip 01' cable g thus causing anupward movement of the 5 reach and a downward movement of the reach 9".During this movement the blocks '0 associated with other doors in theshaft, will move away from their cooperating brackets 6.

Upon the closing of the door, the weight it and spring k will impartsuch travel to the endless strip or cable Q as to cause the block '0 ofthe open door to follow the door in its closing movement, and the blocks'0 upon other doors to resume their normal position in closejuxtaposition to their 00- operating brackets.

The operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs; 6 and 7,differs from that of the form shown in Fig. 5 merely in the manner inwhich the door applies the actuating power to the strip or cable 2'.

In this form of the invention, if either door 00 or :0 be open, it willexert a pull upon the strip or. cable w which, through the ring 10 willimpart travel to the endless strip or cable 9 in a manner to actuate thebolt h and raise the weight it: This results from thepassing of theextension strip or cable to about the pulley w upon one door andattaching the end thereof to the other door. With this construction, itis impossible to move either door without exerting a pull upon saidstrip or cable w, and hence neither door can be opened withoutdeveloping conditions preventing the application of power to the car,according to the type of control employed. When the doors are open, theparts will be in the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7.

When any door in the shaft is opened, the several blocks w upon theendless strip or cable 9 associated with other doors, will move awayfrom the ring a of the branch strip or cable 10 of that door.

, As the door is closed, the stresses upon the endless strip or cable 9will be relieved, thus permitting the weight it to descend and the bolth to be projected to actuate the make and break mechanism in a manner topermit the application of power to the car. The closing movement of thedoors, will create slack in the extension strip or cable a, which slackwill be taken up by the movement of the endless strip or cable q duringthe movement thereof, imparted thereto, by the weight k,- the spring hand the connection i.

It will be observed that in a controlling mechanism made in accordancewith my invention, the make and breakmechanismwill be actuated toprevent application of ower to the car before any door can have su cientmovement to permit it to be opened to an 65 extent to permit fire topass from or to, the

shaft, and that the bell crank lever h, or other trigger mechanism, maybe so proportioned' and set as to act substantially simultaneously withthe initial movement of the door. Since the plunger h will be withdrawirfrom its operative relation to the makeand break mechanism beforethe load of the weight I); will be transmitted to the strip or cable 2',the stresses upon said strip or cable will not be such as to have anytendency toward elongation of the same prior to the actuation of saidplunger.

will also be observed that the plunger h will be projected through thebolt opening 9 by'the action of the spring h, and not as a result of themovement of the weight b, so that there will bea slight dwell after theweight h reaches the limit of its downward movement, before the saidplunger be comes operative, during which: interval thespring k willimpart movement to the stri or cable 2' and its appurtenances, whicmovement, however, will be a rapid movement, thus resulting in a quickmake or break of the circuit, according to the typeof make and breakmechanism used.

The make and break mechanism, being controlled entirely by the movementof the doors, may be so set as to'avoid' any possibility of theapplication of power to the car, except when the door is closed. Whilethe strip or cable 2" is accessible to the car operator', it will beobserved that it cannot be used by the operator in a manner to permitthe application of power to the car so long as a door is open, since itsmovement", resulting in the actuation of' the makeand break mechanism topermit application of the power, is not possible without a closingmovement of the door.

It is apparent that a controlling mechanism made in accordance with myinvention is not only capable of application to various types ofelevator doors, but may be readily applied to different types of doorsin the same elevator shaft.

It is not my intention to limit the inven-' tion to the precise detailsof construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparentthat such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

Having described the invention what I claim as new, and desire to haveprotected by Letters Patent, is

1-. A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein acontroller operative from within a car, a plurality of elevator doors inan elevator shaft, and means to prevent said controller being madeop'era- 125' tive to apply power to the car, comprising an electriccircuit, including therein a s ng gle make and break mechanism, a membermovably mounted adjacent thereto, a thrust member carried by saidmovable'member and.-

adapted to operatively engage said make and break mechanism when all ofsaid elevatordoors are closed, means disposed between said make andbreak mechanism and said movable member, whereby movement of said memberis prevented until said thrust controlled by the opening and closing ofany member is disengaged from said make and break mechanism, and aconnection between said thrust member and each of said elevator doors,whereby said electric circuit is of said doors.

27A controlllng mechanism for elevator cars embodylng therein acontroller opera tivefrom within a car, a plurality" of elevator doorsin an elevator shaft, and means controlling the application of power tothe car, comprising'an electric circuit, including therein a single makeand break mechanism consisting of a plurality of electrical contacts, amovable member cooperating therewith and adapted to make and break thecircuit therethrough, a switch box having a bolt opening through thewallthereof, said make and break mechanism being mounted within saidbox, a member movably mounted adjacent said switch box, a thrust membercarried by said movable member,

and adapted to 'be moved thereby into, or

out of, alinement with said bolt opening, said thrust member beingadapted to operatively engage said first named movable member whenprojected through said'bolt opening, and a connection between saidthrust -member and each of said elevator doors,

whereby said electric circuit is controlled by the opening and closingof any of said doors.

3. 'A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein acontroller operat1ve from within a car, a plurality of elevator doors inan elevator shaft, and means controlling the-application of power to thecar, comprising an electric circuit, including therein a single make andbreak mechanism consisting of a plurality of electrical contacts, amovable member cooperating there with and adapted to make'and break thecircuit therethrough, a switch box having a bolt opening through thewall thereof, said make and break mechanism being mounted within saidbox, a member movably mounted adjacent said switch box,'a thrust membercarried by said movable member,- and' adapted to be moved therebyinto,jor out of, alinement with said bolt opening, said thrust memberbeing adapted to operatively engage said first named movable memberwhenprojected through said'bolt opening, a trigger mechanism operative uponsaid thrust member, strip connected with said trigger mechanism andextending adjacent "all the doors in a shaft, and cooperating meanscarried by said strip and each door of a shaft, w e by i dr ele t irwtis controlled by the opening and closing of any of saiddoors.

4. A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein acontroller Opera'- t1ve from wlthln a car, a plurality of elevator doorsin an elevator shaft, and means controlhng the application of power tothe car, comprising an electric circuit, including therein a single makeand break mechanism consisting of a plurality of electrical contacts, amovable member cooperating therewith and adapted to make and break thecircuit therethrough, a switch box hav ing a bolt opening through thewall thereof, said make and break mechanism being mounted within saidbox, a member movably mounted adjacent said switch box, a spring vactuated thrust member carried by said movstrip and each door of ashaft, whereby said 7 electric circuit is controlled by the opening andclosing of any of said doors.

5. A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein acontroller operative from within a car, a plurality'of elevator doors inan elevator shaft, and means controlling the application of power to.the

car, comprising an electric circuit including therem a single make andbreak mechanism consisting of a plurality of electrical contacts, amovable member cooperating therewith and adapted to'make and break thecir 'cuit therethrough, a switch boxhaving abolt opening through thewall thereof, said make and break mechanism being mounted within saidbox, a member movably mounted adjacent said switch box, .a slidablethrust member carried by said movable member and having a projection;thereon, said thrust member being adapted to be moved by said 'movablemember into, or out of, alinement withsaid bolt opening, a springadapted to normally project said thrust member through said bolt openinginto ,operative engagement with said movable contact, a strip extendingadjacent all the doors in said shaft, a bell crank lever, one arm ofwhich is connected with said strip and the other arm of which is adaptedto operatively engage the projec-' tion upon said thrust member, andcooperating means carried by said strip and each door of a shaft,wherebysaid electric circuit is controlled by'the opening and closing ofany of said doors.

6. A controlling mechanism for elevator re embo y h r a sen -roller pea-v tive from within a car, a plurality of elevator doors in an elevatorshaft, and means controlling the application of power to the car,comprising an electric circuit including therein a single make and breakmechanism consisting of a plurality of electrical contacts, a movablemember cooperating therewith and adapted to make and break the circuittherethrou h, a switch box having a bolt opening throng the wallthereof, said make and break mechanism being mounted Within said box, asliding weight mounted adjacent said switch box, a slidable thrustmember carried by said weight and having a projection thereon, saidthrust member being adapted to be moved by said weight into, or out of,alinement with said bolt opening, a stop adapted to arrest movement ofsaid weight when said thrust member is in alinement with said boltopening, a spring adapted to normally project said thrust member throughsaid bolt opening into operative engagement with said movable contact, astrip extending adjacent all the doors in said shaft, a bell cranklever, one arm of which is connected with said strip and the other armof which is adapted to operatively engage the projection upon saidthrust member, and cooperating means carried by said strip and each doorof a shaft, whereby said electric circuit is controlled by the openingand closing of any of said doors.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, this 22nd dayof May,

1918, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN WVEXLER. Witnesses:

F. T. WENTwoR'rH, A. E. RnNsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

